San Francisco County Biographies
GEORGE WILLIAM HATMAN
Transcribed 6-5-04 Marilyn R. Pankey.
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
Was one of the sterling, venerable and honored pioneer
citizens of San Francisco at the time of his death, in 1908, he having here
maintained his home for more than half a century and having marked the passing
years with worthy achievement and inflexible integrity of purpose. He was born
in Germany, where the original spelling of the name was von Huetman, and where
his father was a farmer by vocation. Mr. Hatman was a lad of thirteen years at
the time of the family immigration to the United States, and he was reared to
manhood in the State of New York, where he received the advantages of the common
schools of the period. His father died in 1871, and his mother had previously
passed away. Two older brothers of the subject of this memoir were gallant
soldiers of the Union in the Civil war, in which both sacrificed their lives.
Mr. Hatman and his young wife came to California in the year 1852, after an
eventful voyage around Cape Horn. While the vessel was off the mouth of the
river Del Plata, it was dismantled in a severe storm, a jury mast having been
rigged to take the place of those destroyed, and the boat having then put back
to the Port of Rio de Janeiro, where it remained three months. There Mr. and
Mrs. Hatman transferred to another vessel, and while the same was in the Port of
Valparaiso, Chili, for water and supplies, the first child of the young couple
was born. Mr. Hatman arrived with his wife and infant child in San Francisco in
April, 1852, and he soon found employment in driving a mule cart, he having
received in compensation a gold slug worth $20 for each week of service. The
family home for some time was situated on Kearney Street, and later, after
buying a pocketful of potatoes for $2.50, he engaged in the raising of the
tubers in Spring Valley, which is now Union Street. He bought property at a
point between Gough and Frank streets, on the present Union Street, and here he
engaged in the dairy business. It is worthy of note that the house which was
the family residence until 1867 was brought from China, and that eventually it
was transformed into a chicken house. Mr. Hatman continued in the dairy and
chicken business until the time of his death, and was one of the venerable
pioneers who lived to see San Francisco devastated by the great earthquake and
fire of later years. Mr. Hatman was a charter member of the local Verein
Eintroech, and was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, but his
interests centered in his home, his devotion to his family having ever been
unfailing.
Mr. Hatman married Miss Mary Frances Rinke, who likewise was born in
Germany, and who preceded him to the life eternal. They became the parents of
nine children: Mary Frances is the wife of William Ryan, of San Francisco;
Wilhelmina became the wife of James Steele and is now deceased; Katherine
Elizabeth is the wife of R. J. Andrews, of San Francisco; George Albert, Addie
and Charles are deceased; William John is a prosperous citizen of San Francisco;
Josephine J., is deceased; and Frank C. resides at Vallejo.
Source: "The San Francisco Bay Region" by Bailey Millard Vol. 3 page 317-318.
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc. 1924.